Thank you for your efforts, Richard, on behalf of both the profession
and our users. 

Accountability through responsible government recordkeeping remains a
central pillar of democratic societies. As citizens we are collectively
responsible for their maintenance, we rely on the evidence they provide
of our political representatives' activities, and we trust that
classified materials are being used to protect our national security. 

I doubt many of us would argue for restricting access to federal
documents to professional journalists, scholars, and those with extra
personal days. Rather, one could easily argue that times of expanded
government require more, not less, public scrutiny. 

Ok, so that surge of patriotism may have something to do with my recent
visit to the National Archives and it's excellent Public Vaults exhibit,
but I stand by it!

Jeff

Jeffrey V. Moy, Archivist
The Newark Museum
49 Washington Street
Newark, NJ  07102
973.596.6622
[log in to unmask]
http://www.newarkmuseum.org/archive/


Date:    Fri, 11 Aug 2006 11:26:48 -0700
From:    Richard Pearce-Moses <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Call to action: Comment on proposed reduction in NARA reading
room hours

Folks,

Archivists have a chance to be advocates for public access to government

information - a core principle of archives - by commenting on a proposed

reduction in NARA's reading room hours.

The National Archives has announced plans to reduce the hours of its 
reading rooms at the Washington DC and College Park MD facilities.  
Specifically, it will cut evenings and weekends, with the result that 
records held by NARA will be available only during normal business 
hours.  This cut in service is a direct result of a need to reduce 
operating expenses.  You can find the rule at =
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo
.
gov/2006/pdf/E6-11763.pdf.

NARA held a public hearing last Thursday, 3 August.  I spoke on behalf 
of the Society of American Archivists, expressing concern that this was 
a serious barrier to public access.  Restricting reading room hours to 
business hours requires that many - maybe most - members of the public 
must take time off from work to use the collections.  The effect is that

they may have to pay for access in terms of lost wages.

While I'm sure all archivists appreciate the challenges of budgets and 
the costs of extended hours, I believe it is essential for NARA to find 
some means to retain some extended hours.  One option would be to remain

open evenings or weekends, rather than both.  Archivist Weinstein 
commented that he was committed to the principle of access to records.  
In other comments, the Archivist noted that public input would be a 
factor in the final determination of hours.

You can help make the case for the importance of public access to public

records by submitting comments online at www.regulations.gov.  For the 
agency, select National Archives and Records Administration - all.  In 
the Keyword, type hours.  Click submit, and you'll see an icon for 
adding comments.

You can also send comments by fax (301-837- 0319) or by mail to 
Regulations Comments Desk (NPOL), Room 4100, Policy and Planning Staff, 
National Archives and Records Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road, College

Park, MD 20740-6001.

Please take a few minutes to voice your opinion.

-- Richard Pearce-Moses


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